"I need your help with something," Giancarlo said finally. "Nassif needs me at the palace tomorrow." Justina would demand to be involved if she knew what was going down tomorrow, and this was the best way to distract her from thinking anything was amiss. "And I'm starting to think you're right about being suspicious towards Tueur. Do you think you can keep an eye on Sarica while I'm away?"
Chapter Eleven
THE LABNEH AT THE DESERTRoyale was perfectly creamy, served with warm pita bread and a drizzle of local olive oil. But Sarica barely tasted any of it, with her mind still spinning from yesterday's revelations.
A commotion at the restaurant's entrance drew her out of her thoughts, and Sarica stiffened in her seat when she saw two uniformed officers heading her way.
They gave her the usual spiel, but Sarica only nodded without hearing anything. She knew exactly who was behind all of this, and she didn't put up any resistance as they escorted her out of her hotel.
A car was waiting for them by the driveway, an unmarked car with a government license plate, and Sarica was unsurprised to see Justina already inside.
"I'm sorry for the fuss."
And yet she didn't sound sorry at all, Sarica couldn't help but notice.
"But I'm afraid I couldn't afford to waste any time."
"For what?" Sarica looked outside the window as she asked this. Where were they going?
"Please don't take it personally, but I need to get you as far away as possible from Giancarlo."
Sarica fought to keep her expression blank, but the way Justina looked at her with pity made it clear that she was doing a really bad job at hiding her feelings.
"I know you still have feelings for my husband—-"
"In name," Sarica heard herself say.
"Excuse me?"
"I have my own ways of finding information, too," Sarica said evenly. "And although I already knew yesterday you were lying about your marriage—-I can't say I didn't welcome actual proof about the real state of your marriage."
"It seems I've underestimated you."
Both of them did,Sarica thought.
Justina obviously saw her as too young to see past her charade while Giancarlo...
I just don't know what to do, God.
The marriage between Giancarlo and Justina had been conducted by a Kivran minister. This might have made it official in most people's eyes, but when one did enough digging, they would soon come to realize that such marriages could only be consummated after a year of courtship...and terminated by something as simple as the husband declaring the whole thing null and void in front of two witnesses.
"But I'm afraid that won't change anything."
Sarica's head jerked up at the sudden coolness of Justina's tone.
"I owe it to Giancarlo to do what's right for him, and while you may not believe me—-what's right for him is to not have you around.Ever."
Sarica had every intention of challenging this.
But she wasn't given a chance, with the car already slowing to a stop, and what she saw outside made her heart nearly stop beating.
"You're putting me on a plane."
"I'm also adding your name to Kivr's blacklist," Justina said calmly, "in case you're thinking of flying back."
"Does Giancarlo know you're doing this?"
Justina met her gaze unflinchingly. "He entrusted you to my care."
